Stamp-affixing machine.



No; 857,499. PATENTED JUNE 1s, 19611 G. o. THoMPsoN.- STAMP APPIXING MACHINE.

`APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1906.

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l J-PA.TENfI:N1) JUNE 1a. .1901. G. o. THOMPSON. STAMP APPIXING MACHINE.

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PATENTED vJUNI'. 18, 1907K.

G. o. THOMPSON. STAMP -APPIXING MACHINE.

' APPLIOATIQN Hmm MAY 2, 1906.

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PATENTED JUNE 18, 1907.

. G.v0. THOMPSON. STAMP AFPIXING. MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1906.

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PATENT OFFICE.

GARFIELD O. THOMPSON, OF SANBORN, NORTH DAKOTA.

STAMP-AFFIXING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1'8, 1907.

Application filed May 2,1906. Serial No. 314,806.

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GARFIELD O. THOMP- soN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Sanborn, in the county of Barnes and State of North Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stamp-Atiixing Machines, of which the following` is a specification.,

This invention relates to stamp aftixing ro machines, the object of the invention being to providea complete and effective machine by means of which an entire sheet of stamps may be placed in themachine and fed to the proper aiiixing position one. or more at a to the number required, moistened, separated from the sheet, and pressed upon the envelop, the machinev being operated by hand and the mechanism operating automatically to attain the result zo `above stated.

With the above and other objects in view7 .the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention conv sists in the novel construction, combinationl 25 and arrangement otparts hereinafter more tully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a stamp ailixing machine embodying the present Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine. Fig. 4 is a detail end view of the stamp sheet clamping mech.- anisin. Figs. 5 and 6 `are detail elevations of the mechanism for holding the carriage and 35 tripping the same prior to its return movenient. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the clutch and pinion mechanism. sectional elevation on theline 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section through the 4o moistening roller.

The stamp aiiixing machine comprises a supporting baseml which may be. mounted 4upon suitable legs 2. Extending upward from the base and secured rigidly thereon is a the upper end oi which is extended to form a curved arm 4 having at its end a guide 5 lor a vertically movable plunger 6.

The plunger 6 is provided at its upper end 5o witha head or hand piece 7 and carries at its lower end ra` platen 8 of any desired size or area to the lower 'face of which is secured a pad. 9 which is adapted to come in contact p with the printed sides ol" the stamps and invention. Fig. 2 is.

Fig. 8 is av press the gumined side thereof against the underlying envelop or card. The plunger and platen are normally upheld by means of a platen retracting spring 10, one end of which is connected to the platen and the other end to a bracket or lug 11 on the guide 5, as sho wn in Figs. 1 and 3.

Connected to the platen 8 and extending downward therefrom is a stamp cutter comprising the oblique shearing elements 11a` and 12 disposed at right angles to each other and operating in line with the right angularly disposed rows of perforations in the stamp sheet so as to sever one or more stamps from the sheet as the platen descends. These shearing'cutters are provided with Shanks 13 which are secured .to two sides of the platen 8, as'indicated in Fig. 3.

Arranged beneath the platen 8 is a vertically movable table 14, the leg 15 of which extends downward through a bearing or guide 16 supported by a bracket 17 on the machine frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. Operatively connected to the lower extremity of the leg-15 is a table operating lever 18 which isfulcrumed at 19 on a post or extension 20 carried by the bracket 17, the rear end ofvsaid lever having pivotally connected thereto at 21 a connecting rod 22 which extends upward and has its upper end attached to an arm 23 extending backward from the plunger 6, whereby in each upward and downward movement 'of the plunger 6 and the platen 8, the table -14 is moved in an opposite direction, the table moving upward to meet the platen as the latter moves down-- ward and the table forming a support for the envelop or card and the stamps as they are pressed on the envelop or card by the platen. The connecting rod 22 is provided at one end, preferably the upper end, with a reduced shank 24 which works through an opening in the plunger arm 23, while between said plunger arm and a shoulder 25 on the connecting rod 22 is a s ring 26 in the form oi a comp'ressible coi, whereby the table 14 is adapted to yield downward slightly when excessive pressure is brought to bear on the plunger 6 in the operation of aiixing the stamps. The table may be of any desired sizeand is provided with side and end gages 27 and 28 respectively, to assist in holding the envelops or cards in proper position to receive the stamps.

IOG

l provided with a projecting rail 36 upon which is j short arm 48 of an elbow lever fulcrumed at 29 designates a stamp sheet roll-holder l which is preferably of rubber so as to obtain the necessary frictional hold on the stamp sheet, said roll-holder being mounted on a shaft 30 journaled in suitable bearings at the opposite ends of a carriage 31, the shaft being provided at each" end with a knob 32, whereby it may be turned for rolling the stamp sheet upon the roller or feeding the same off of the roller to a position beneath the platen8. At various intervals along the length of the roller 29y are-spring clips 33 which extend around the major portion of the circumference of the roller, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, an opening being left between the extremities of the clips toward the front of the machine to enable the stamp sheet to be fed on to the roller and fed therefrom. `These spring clips are secured to the carriage at one end, as shown at 34, the oposite ends thereof being left-free and deected outward, as shown at 35. One edge of the stamp sheet is inserted into the clips and into engagement with the bottom of the roller 29, after which the roller is turned until the entire stamp sheet is wound thereon withinthe clips, the direction of rotation of the roller being reversed to feed the stamps outward again between the platen and table for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The forward portion of the carriage 31 is which rests the inner end of a presser roll 37 journaled on a shaft 38 carried by the short arm 39 of an elbowl lever fulcrumed at 40 on a bracket 41 forming a fixed p art of the machine frame, the other or longer arm 42 of said elbow lever being acted upon by a to hold the presser against the printed sides of the stamps.

44l designates a stop in the form of a screw passing through a lug 45 on the bracket 41 and serving to limit the movement of the lever arm 42 so as to hold the presser roll 37 in exactly the roper position and relation to the guide rail336 and the stamps.

Just beneath the presser roll 37, there is arranged a stamp moistening roller 46 which is journaled on a shaft 47 carried by the 49, the longer arm 50 of said lever being acted upon by a spring 51 which operates to hold the roller 46 up against the bottom of gummed side of the stamp sheet, 52 designating a stop in the form of a screw adjustable through a lug 53 on the bracket 41 for limiting the movementof the` lever arm 50 and holding the moistening roller 46 in proper relation to the stamp sheet for moistening the gummed side thereof preparatory to cutting the stamp from the sheet and pressing the same on the envelop or card.

50 respectively, as shown in Fig. 1, when said levers are rocked back to move the rollers 37 and 46 apart, said detents being rovided with lever extensions 56 and 57 to facilitate engaging the detents with and disengaging the same from the shoulders onthe levers 42 and 50. The rollers 37 and 46 are rst moved apart and then locked by means of the detents, after which the edge of thestamp sheet is fed outward between said rollers by manipulating one or the other ofthe knobs 32. The stamp sheet is fed outward until the outermost row of stamps is in line with the platen and the perforations in line with the shearing cutter 11a,l then, as the plunger is moved downward, the cutter 11HL severs one or more stamps of the outermost row from the main body of the sheet, while the transversely disposed cutter l2 removes one or more stamps from the outermost row just before the platen 8 descends and presses the moistened stamp or stam s upon the envelop or card lying on the ta le 14. After the stamp sheet has been fed outward in the manner just described, the detents 54 and 55 are released or unlocked, whereupon the rollers 37 and 46 engage upon and beneath the outermost row of stamps, and the stamps are fed along between said rollers 37 and 46 and the guinmed side thereof moistened as the carriage moves lengthwise.

58 designates a clam in the form of a bar extending practically t ie entire length of the carriage and having at its opposite ends arms 59 which are j ournaled on a shaft 60 carried by bracket arms 61 at op osite ends of the carriage. The clamp 58 1s held downward by means of one or more springs 62 connected with the bracket arms 61, as shown in Fig. 4. To lift the clamp 58 preparatory to feeding the stamps upon and off the roll 29, I provide levers 63 fixed to the arms 59, as shown in Fig. 4, and other levers 64 pivotally mounted at 6'5 on'the arms 59 and carrying catches 66 which engage shoulders 67 on the bracket arms 61, the catches 66 being urged toward the shoulders 67 by means of springs 68. By rocking the levers 64 toward the levers 63, the catches 66 are thrown out of engagement with the shoulders 67, thus allowing the clamp 58 to be moved upward to release its hold on the stam sheet. At all other times the clamp 58 olds the stamp sheet firmly down upon the carriage with one row of stamps projecting beyond the clamp to be engaged and operated upon by the platen and cutters, in the manner hereinabove described.

The carriage is provided on itsunder side with oppositely arranged pairs of runners 69 IOO IOS

ITO

' which move lengthwise along carriage track -secured to the disk 881.

rails supported at their op osite ends by brackets 71 on,v the machine fiiame, and the carriage, after having been fedto one limit of its movement, is returned to the initial point of movement by means of a carriage actuating tape or band 72 preferably inthe form of an elastic strip, one end of which is secured to the carriage at the-point 73, while the oposite end is secured at 74 to one of the rackets 71. The mechanism for feeding the carriage along step by step a distance equal to the width of one stamp, embodies a plunger actuated rack bar 75 which is pivotally connected at the point 76 and the lunger arm 23, said rack bar being extende above the pivot 76 provided with a lever arm or extension 77. The rack bar works up and down with the plunger and in its up and down stroke it actuates a pinion shaft 78 which is illustrated in detail in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive. This shaft is divided, as shown in Fig. 7, or, in other words, comprises two relatively movable and rotatable sections, one 4of which fits into the other. The main outer section is provided with a pinion 79 which engages a rack rail 80 extending lengthwise of the back of the carriage and secured thereto whereby, in the rotation of the shaft 78, the pinion 79 acts on the rack rail 80 to move the carriage lengthwise. Mounted on the outer section 81 of the pinion shaft is a clutch pinion 82 provided with a circumferential ange 83 which lies outside of the rack bar 75, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby forming a guide for the rack bar.

The section 81 of the pinion shaft extends from a hub or flange 84 and is mounted in an opening 81a in the shaft 78, a bearing plate 88a having secured to one side a diskf88 and at the opposite side a disk 88h. Mounted between these disks is a clutch element 85 having oppositely disposed shoulders 85*l which are engaged by the inner 'ends of a pair of clutch dogs 86 normally pressed inward to engage said shoulders by means of springs 87 The disks 88 and 88b are fast on the shaft 78, while the clutch element 85 is movable upon saidshaft relatively to the disks. It will thus -be seen that the pinion 82 may be rotated in one direction bythe downward movement of the rackbar 75 without imparting rotary movement to the pinion 79. In the reverse or upward movement of the rack bar 75, however, the clutch dogs 86 take up the clutch element or collar 85 and thereby impart rotary movement to the pinion 79 which thereby acts on the rack rail 80 to advance the carriage a distance equal to the width of a postage stamp. Extending alongside of the rack rail 80 is a notched bar 89, the notches 90 of which are arranged at a distance apart equal to the widths of the stamps. Inconnection with the notched bar 89, a dog 91 vis employed to interlock therewith, said dog being pivotally mounted at 92 on a bracket lug 93 extending laterally from the fixed standard 3, hereinabove described and as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The point of the dog is adapted to successively engage the notches 90 and is provided with an operating arm 94 which is connected by a link 95 with one arm of an elbow trip or release lever 96 fulcrumed at 97 on the standard 3, the longer arm of said trip lever receiving the pressure of a spring 98 secured to the standard 3 and acting to hold the point of the dog in engagement' with the notched bar, as shown in Fig. 5. The lever 96 is also provided with a projecting shoulder 99 which, when the carriage reaches the final end of its throw, comes-in contact with a stationary trip lever shift 100 which throws the lever 96 to one side and moves the dog 91 out of engagement with the notched bar, as shown in Fig. 6, whereupon the elastic band 72 acts on the carriage and returns the same quickly to its initial position. 101 represents the thumb piece or finger extension of the lever 96.

The moistening roller 46 embodies a hollow cylindrical body closed at opposite ends and provided with a multiplicity of perforations 102 communicating with the interior thereof and adapted to permit the water or other liquid containedin said roller tol pass outward to the other surface of the roller whence it is taken up by an absorbent covering 103 surrounding the roller, as shown in Fig. 9, and. distributed by said absorbent covering to the gummed sides of the stamps, as they are fed over the moistening roller.'

104 designates a stopper or plug fitting in an opening in the moistening roller by means of which water or other liquid may be introduced into the roller.

In the operation of the machine, the stamp sheet is first fed on to the roll holder in the manner above described. The presser and moistening rollers are then separated and the stamp sheet is fed outward so as to enter the outermost row of stamps between the presser and the moistening rollers, the latter then being released and allowed to clamp the outermost row of stamps' between them. The clamp 58 is also released and' moved downward by the actuating springs to clamp the sheet of stamps firmly against the cairi age. The envelops or cards are now placed upon the table and fed successively into place beneath the plunger. then operated successively and in each downward movement of the platen, one or more stamps is severed fromthe sheet just after being moistened and pressed against the card or envelop by the platen. In the upward movement of the plunger, the carriage is fed along the distance of one stamp by The plunger is IOO IIO

the rack and pinion gear hereinabove described, and at the same time, the carriage is locked and prevented from being thrown back suddenly by means of the notched bar and the dog which engages said bar. This operation is kept up until the carriage reaches the iinal end of its throw, after the last stamp of the projecting row has been alixed to a card or envelop, whereupon the dog is tripped by the means described and held out of engagement with the notched bar 89, allowing the elastic band to return the carriage to the initial point of its throw.

It will thus be seen that the machine is automatic in action and may be operated with great rapidity, thus reducing the labor of a `ng stamps to cards, envelops and. mail matter generally.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is l. A stamp aflxing machine embodying a platen, and a table, means connected to said platen and table for moving thesame simultaneously toward and from each other, means forfeeding stamps between said platen and table, means for severing the'stamp, a carriage, and means for moving the carriage at rightangles to the path of movement of the platen.

2. A stamp afixing machine comprising a table and a platen, means connected to said table and platen for positively moving the same toward and from each other, a carriage movable at right angles to the path of move- I ment of the platen for feeding stamps successively between the platen and table, means for moving said carriage, and means for moistening the stamps preparatory to their entrance between the platen and table.

3. A stamp aiiixing machine comprising a table, a platen working in opposition thereto, said platen being mounted upon a plunger, said table being connected to a pivoted lever, connections between said lever and plunger whereby said platen and table are positively moved in opposite directions, a carriage movable at right angles to the path of movement of the platen to feed stamps successively between the platen and table, presser rolls, moistening rolls, and means for moving said rolls toward and from each other.

4. A stamp aiiixing machine comprising a table, a platen, connections between said table and platen whereby `they are operated positively and simultaneously, a carriage movable at right angles to the path of movement of the Aplaten to feed stamps between the platen and table, rollers between which the stamps are fed, and means for moving saidrollers apart to allow the stamps to be inserted between them.

5. A stamp aifixing machine comprising a table, a platen, severing mechanism carried by said platen, a lever connected to said table,a connecting rod attached to said lever, said rod being mounted in an arm extending from the platen operating mechanism whereby said platen and table are positively and simultaneously moved toward and from each other, a stamp carriage movable at right angles to the path of movement of the platen, said carriage embodying a roller upon which the stamp sheet is wound, and spring clips embracing said roller and adapted to coniine the stamp sheet thereon.

6. Astamp affxing machine embodying a table, a leg secured to said table and mounted to move in a guide, a lever pivoted to said leg and fulcrumed on the frame, a connecting rod connected to said lever, a platen, a plunger to which said platen is connected, said plunger having an arm extending therefrom through which the connecting rod extends, whereby saidtable and platen are simultaneously and positively moved in opposite directions, and a severing device carried by said platen.

47. A stamp aifixing machine embodying a table, a platen connected to a plunger, connections between said table Vand plunger whereby the platen and table are moved simultaneously toward and from each other, va stamp carriage movable at right angles to the path of movement of the plunger, a rack rail connected with said carriage, a pinion engaging said rack rail, a shaft for said pinion, a second pinion having a clutch engagement with said shaft, and an actuating rack bar movable with the platen and coperating with the clutch pinion.

8. A stamp affixing machine embodying a table, a platen working in opposition thereto, a 4stamp carriage movable at a right angle to the path of movement ofthe platen, a rack rail on said carriage, a pinion shaft having a pinion engaging said rack rail, asecond pinion having a clutched engagement with said shaft, and an actuating rack bar meshing with said pinion and movable with the platen,

said rack bar being pivotally mounted so.

that it may be thrown' out of mesh with the pinion.

9. A stamp aiiixing machine comprising a table, a platen working in opposition thereto, a carriage movable at right angles to the path of movement of said platen vand adapted to feed the stamps successively between the platen and table, means for moving said carriage intermittently, rollers between which the stamps are fed preparatory to their entrance between theplaten and table, means for holding said rollers in contact and means for moving said rollers apart to allow the stamps to be inserted between the same.

10. In a machine of the character described, a table, a platen working in opposition to said table, a carriage, means for moving said IOO IIO

carriage at right angles to the path of movement of said platen to feed the stamps successively between the platen and table, said means comprising racks and pinions adapted to be simultaneously operated, rollers between whioh the stamps are fed preparatory to their entrance between the platen and table, means for moving said rollers apart to allow the stamps to be inserted between the same, and means for holding said rollers in 1o contact.

In testimony whereof, I aHX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GARFIELD O..THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

LoUrs MALM, J. L. WETHERILL. 

